Director Vinayan has openly attacked Minister Saji Cherian who defended Kerala State Chalachitra Academy Chairman Ranjith, by rejecting Kerala State Award Jury Member Nemam Pushparaj’s disclosure. Vinayan lashed out at the minister for saying that the chairman had not interfered when the question was not asked to the minister. Vinayan had earlier released an audio clip of Nemam Pushparaj, who was the main jury member and chairman of the preliminary jury of the Kerala State Film Awards stating there were flaws regarding the selection of films and awards. Nemam Pushparaj is understood to have been talking to a media person.
“The minister will not be present during the projection of the award and other discussions. Then how can the minister justify Ranjit without doubt,” asks Director Vinayan. According to the note shared by Vinayan on social media, the issue is not whether the award was given to those who deserved it or not, but whether the Chairman of the academy, who is the representative of the government, intervened in the decision of the award. Jury member Jincy Gregory has also made a similar allegation about Ranjith’s involvement. According to him, the discussion about the chairman’s involvement should be addressed by those directly concerned, the jury members or Ranjith himself but not the Minister.
A clean chit should have been given only after a thorough investigation. He said that if Ranjith replies by rejecting Nemam Pushparaj’s allegations, then Pushparaj will come with the reply and he will only have to go after that. Before that, the minister should not bother to give anticipatory bail to Ranjith, he said.
Minister Saji Cherian had come before the media defending the Chairman of the Chalachitra Academy, Ranjith. He said, “The jury consisted of famous people from all over the world. The award was given to those who deserved it. Ranjith has no role in this as he is not a member of the jury and can’t talk to anyone on the jury. He is the most honorable legend Kerala has seen in the film industry. It is to be appreciated that the Kerala State Chalacitra Academy, of which he is the chairman, has done its work well during these years.” The minister said that the award was decided through various scrutinizing processes.
AIYF said that they would give moral support to Director Vinayan who is planning to proceed with legal action against the flaws in selection of Kerala State Film Awards, 2022.
After the announcement of the 2022 Film Awards, serious allegations were been raised against the award jury and Chalachitra Academy Chairman Ranjith from within the film industry. It was alleged that the award was given on political and biased grounds. Director Vinayan alleged Ranjith to have said that the award should not be given to Vinayan’s film ‘Pathonpatham Noottandu’. Vinayan said, the Kerala Film Academy has lost its credibility.
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